Our objective is to isolate and characterize tumor antigen(s) associated with human malignant melanoma and murine melanoma. In the initial phase of this project we have demonstrated that: a) B16 melanoma is immunogenic in the C57BL/6J strain of mice in which this tumor arose spontaneously; b) that antigen(s) associated with this tumor can be radiolabeled and solubilized, and c) that some of these antigen(s) can be partially isolated and characterized. We now plan to determine the tumor and tissue specificity of these antigen(s), to continue our characterization of their biochemical nature, and attempt to determine whether they are shed or secreted from tumor cells. In addition, we have established and are maintaining in tissue culture over 20 lines of human malignant melanoma cells and several lines of autologous fibroblasts. We have also collected and are storing in a Revco freezer a bank of sera on over 100 patients with different stages of malignant melanoma and on 40 normal persons. These cells and sera will be used as a source of antigen(s) and tumor antibody in subsequent attempts to isolate and identify antigen(s) associated with this tumor.